LABOUR'S surprise by-election victory in Glenrothes today will put a fresh spring in Gordon Brown's step after a turbulent time in power which has seen the Prime Minister both dubbed a "bottler" and feted as a "super hero".
June 2007 – Mr Brown
takes over from Tony Blair as Prime Minister promising "a new Government with new priorities".
He is praised for his cal
m response to a botched terror attack on a London nightclub and the attack on Glasgow Airport.
A "Brown Bounce" sees Labour surge ahead in the polls – leading the Tories by as much as four points.
September – Northern Rock
calls in emergency support from the Bank of England, triggering the first run on a British bank in more than a century.
October – The Brown "honeymoon" comes to an end. After feverish speculation about an early general election at the Labour conference, Mr Brown is accused of playing politics with the armed forces when he visits Iraq during the Conservative conference to announce plans to withdraw troops.
A strong speech from David Cameron at the Tory conference in Blackpool, along with offers of cuts in inheritance tax and stamp duty, is credited with reversing Labour's lead in the polls.
Mr Brown
announces that there will be no snap general election, with critics immediately dubbing him "Bottler Brown".
November – Lord West says he has doubts about Mr Brown's plans for 42-day pre-charge detention of terror suspects, then changes his mind after a visit to Downing Street. Opposition to the move is later expressed by former Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer, former Attorney General Lord Goldsmith and Director of Public Prosecutions Sir Ken Macdonald.
Businessman David Abrahams admits
making proxy donations to Labour via a third party, leading to the resignation of general secretary Peter Watt.
January 2008 – Crude oil prices hit 100 US dollars a barrel for the first time. By the anniversary of Mr Brown's arrival in power the price will have reached almost 140 dollars, sending the cost of unleaded petrol at British pumps up to around £1.20 a litre.
February – Chancellor Alistair Darling announces that Northern Rock will be temporarily nationalised.
March – Mr Brown faces fury at a private meeting win Labour backbenchers over the decision to abolish the 10p starting rate of income tax, as a revolt which could block the Budget takes off.
April – Nationwide Building Society index records the first year-on-year drop in house prices since 1996, as the credit crunch drives potential buyers out of the market.
May – Bloodbath in local elections in England and Wales for Labour, which loses nine councils and more than 2,300 councillors, as well as seeing Ken Livingstone
defeated in the race for Mayor of London by Boris Johnson. Labour loses previously safe Labour seat Crewe and Nantwich.
June – Mr Brown is forced to rely on the votes of the Democratic Unionist Party to get his plans for
42-day pre-charge detention for terror suspects through the Commons, as 36 Labour MPs rebel.
Bank of England Governor Mervyn King writes an open letter to the Chancellor explaining why inflation has hit 3.3% and warning it will rise to 4% before the year is out.
Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander
resigns after failing to register donations to her leadership campaign.
July – Calls for Mr Brown to step down increase amid a dismal summer for Labour and another
embarrassing by-election defeat in Glasgow East.
In a newspaper article, Foreign Secretary David Miliband vents his frustration over his party's failure to fight back against the Tories, provoking rumours about a possible leadership challenge.
September – Sarah Brown's
centre-stage appearance at the Labour Party conference helps to boost her husband's image and his speech is well received.
But leaked news of Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly's imminent departure overshadows the final day of the conference.
October – Mr Brown creates a sensation by
appointing long-time rival Peter Mandelson as Business Secretary as he reshuffles the cabinet.
The global banking crisis marks a dramatic improvement in the Prime Minister's fortunes after months of woes.
His bail-out plan for British banks sparks an upsurge in Labour's poll ratings and is feted by world leaders, who queue up to emulate it in their own countries.
Asked by a foreign reporter if he was now happy to go by the name of "Flash Gordon," Mr Brown replied: "Just Gordon, just Gordon, I can assure you."
November 7 – Labour holds on to Glenrothes in a crucial by-election, with their candidate
Lindsay Roy snatching victory from the SNP with a 6,737 majority. Mr Brown and his wife both campaigned for Mr Roy.
The win represents a major boost for Mr Brown because although the seat was held with a reduced margin, it was much larger than expected.
The full article contains 813 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
